


It's Not Like Leap Year

by lyricaldanceflap



Category: Peter Kay's Car Share (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-25
Updated: 2017-07-25
Packaged: 2019-02-10 13:11:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 993
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12912612
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lyricaldanceflap/pseuds/lyricaldanceflap
Summary: Set on the evening of John and Kayleigh’s first Christmas together. They’re back home after spending time with family, and John has a present for Kayleigh.





	It's Not Like Leap Year

“I’ll tell you what, them kids are a bloody handful when they’re together, aren’t they?” John said as he entered the living room with two steaming mugs of tea.

“I know. I feel bad I didn’t offer to help Mandy clean up, now.” Kayleigh took her mug from John as he sat next to her on the couch. “It’s nice that they all get on though, isn’t it? We’ll have to take them for a day out when the weather warms up a bit.”

“Yeah,” John smiled. “Yeah, that’d be nice.”

Kayleigh yawned, turning her attention back to the Christmas film playing on the TV. John tapped his fingers against his mug nervously, stealing glances at her every couple of seconds from the corner of his eye.

“Kayleigh?”

“Hmm?” She didn’t take her eyes away from the screen.

The characters in the film were singing some cheesy Christmas medley now, and Kayleigh was well and truly entranced. It would’ve been so easy to chicken out, to say ‘it doesn’t matter’, put it off until he felt braver.

But John had realised a few months ago that he’d never feel quite as brave as he wanted to, and sometimes he had to take important leaps of faith even when he feared being rejected. He’d almost lost Kayleigh once before due to chickening out of voicing his feelings in the moment, and he’d vowed to himself since that day that he’d listen to his heart instead of his head from then on.

He took a deep breath.

“I’ve, uh… I’ve got you another present.”

It was comical how fast Kayleigh turned to face him.

“You haven’t, have you?” She asked, her voice high with excitement.

He nodded, smiling softly.

“ _Johnathan_ , you’ve spoilt me more than enough today! I wasn’t lying when I said this onesie is the best thing I’ve ever owned.” She said, gesturing to the Christmas themed item of clothing she was wearing. He’d surprised her with it that morning, along with a couple of other novelty gifts she’d been delighted at.

“This’ll top the onesie, trust me.” He said, whispering an uncertain “I hope,” as he made his way over to the Christmas tree and found the small, well hidden gift bag.

Kayleigh was bouncing in her seat by the time he sat back down on the couch ten seconds later.

He handed her the bag, chuckling as she grabbed his face and planted a kiss on his cheek, and then another one on his lips.

“You’re so good to me, John.”

Another soft kiss.

“Open the bloody bag.”

“Oh, right. Yeah.” She giggled, as she reached in and pulled out the small velvet box.

Her expression changed from amused to unreadable as she stared down at the little box in her hands. John could tell that she suspected what it was, but could also tell that she was trying not to get her hopes up. He couldn’t exactly blame her after his track record, but it still made his heart ache.

She looked up at him, uncertain and speechless, and he hadn’t seen this side of Kayleigh since…

“John, is… is this…”

“Open it.” He said, nodding down at the box.

He was relieved when the warmth in his voice seemed to reassure her, and she looked down at the box, slowly opening it to reveal the beautiful engagement ring inside.

“I know we’ve only been living together a couple of months, so if… if you want to think about it, you don’t have to rush-“

She met his gaze again, her eyes filled with tears and a soft smile beginning to appear on her face. He continued.

“I just, well, I feel like when you know, you know. And I’ve told you before, I’m not good at stuff like this, but I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Kayleigh, and I hope you feel the same. I mean, I _think_ you feel the same but now you’ve gone all mute on me, and I’m starting to sweat, and-“

He was cut off as she pressed a gentle hand to his lips.

“John.”

He took a deep breath as she removed her hand.

“Yes,” She whispered. “Yes, I’ll marry you, of course I’ll bloody marry you!” She laughed as the tears spilled over.

She threw her arms around him and drew him into a kiss. When they pulled apart to look at each other, they both had tears on their faces, and beaming smiles.

“Oh, thank god! You scared me to bloody death when you didn’t say anything; I thought I’d ruined our first Christmas by jumping the gun!”

Kayleigh laughed.

“Don’t be daft, I was _shocked_!”

“Good shocked?”

“Yeah, when I realised it was actually a ring. I thought it was gunna be like that Amy Adams film when I first saw the box.”

“What Amy Adams film? What are you on about?”

“Leap Year, John, have you not seen it? He takes her out for a meal, gives her a box just like _this_ one,” She waved it at him, “and she’s all excited until she opens it and it turns out there’s a pair of earrings inside. Can you believe that?”

“God, I bet she were devvo’d.” John said, mock seriously.

“Oh, she was, I felt awful for her.” Kayleigh answered as if she was talking about a personal friend. An instant later she was all smiles again. “Anyway…”

“Anyway…” John echoed, taking the ring out of the box and smiling as Kayleigh held her hand out.

He slid it onto her finger carefully, relieved to see it fit. When he met her eyes he wasn’t surprised to see tears falling down her cheeks, because he was close to crying again himself.

He gently wiped away her tears and pressed a soft kiss to her lips.

“It really is perfect, John. I love it.”

“Good, I’m glad. I love you.”

“I love you, too.”


End file.
